The Zipper: How HOSPITALITY X Built Europe's Most Digital Hotel and Apartment Concept

No brand heritage, no blueprint, no traditional business model: In Düsseldorf’s RKM 740 Tower, HOSPITALITY X has developed a completely new hotel and apartment concept spanning approximately 10,000 square meters—from the brand to day-to-day operations.

The Zipper. The most digital hotel and apartment concept in Europe.

A 19-story high-rise with a complex vertical operational structure, an urban target audience with high digital expectations, and high construction and location costs that an operating model must first cover—that was the starting point for the RKM 740 Tower in Düsseldorf.

HOSPITALITY X took on the project as the anchor tenant and first tenant: approximately 10,000 m² of gross floor area from the 6th to the 17th floor, with full operational and commercial responsibility for profitability.

A brand starting from scratch—and a hybrid concept.

Without an existing brand legacy, HOSPITALITY X developed the brand, concept, and operational framework entirely from scratch: a hybrid usage concept combining hotel and long-stay apartments under a single brand and operational model.

All processes, SOPs, and organizational structures were built from the ground up—designed as a lean, digitally enabled operations model with role profiles that rethink traditional hotel jobs: more multiskill, fewer silos.

A seamless tech stack and guest journey.

From the PMS to access control, messaging, point-of-sale, and payment, the entire tech stack was rebuilt—using best-of-breed systems integrated throughout the entire guest journey. The result is a fully digital guest journey from booking through check-in to check-out and post-stay, with WhatsApp as the primary service and communication channel. At the same time, HOSPITALITY X rebuilt the distribution strategy: direct channels, OTA strategy, MICE, and the long-stay segment, complemented by performance marketing with a focus on direct guest relationships.

The Impact.

Benchmark in Europe:

About 70% of guest communications take place via WhatsApp—and Vodafone described the Zipper at OMR 2025 as the most digital hotel and apartment concept in Europe.
Significantly higher labor productivity

Consistent automation and digital processes enable operations that far exceed market benchmarks.
Fast Ramp-Up

The fully integrated operations and marketing model enabled a rapid market entry—and established a financially viable alternative to traditional brand franchises.

The expertise behind it.

The Zipper demonstrates HOSPITALITY X’s end-to-end expertise: Development of urban hotel projects in complex mixed-use assets, brand building for hybrid products, integrated tech stack design, and the creation of scalable digital guest journeys—all brought together in a digital-first operating model that proves its worth in everyday operations.

Discover The Zipper